Thrilled for my friend Tonya, who is featured over here at Lisa Jo’s for Five Minute Friday. She was a guest contributor for the Psalms Series this week too, AND she has a new website and is giving away fabulous things all week. Go check out all her loveliness!
We’d love to have you join hands in this community and share your 5 minute response on the prompt- HANDS.
Funny that the prompt this week is hands.
Was just thinking about these hands.
I held them high, offering them up.
These hands, they’ve been plucking and pecking, and trying to make beauty
Dancing over the keys, waltzing over the letters, and tripping over themselves.
12,073 and counting. Coming up short, yet learning long.
I prayed over these hands.
That He’d help them not to grow weary, or sore,
That these hands could keep tapping out this story...
The one about the girl who controls, and perfects, and struggles to trust.
As I write I begin to see just how wound up and tied up I am.
Ironic, that I am writing about letting go, releasing the grip, loosening the hold.
But I just keep holding on tighter- a grasping of the wind.
Like that crazy camp game, where you try and grab that greased up watermelon in the water- to no avail.
Crazy game, this grasp for control. It’s illusive.
This morning, as I prepared for the weekend writing conference,
I about lost it, coming face to face with a dream-reality.
Funny, how in the process of writing a book about giving up perfect,
I struggle to be PERFECT in the process.
And that’s the story, right there.
The story is the wrestle and struggle hard I do, and I am.
These hands long to be open- palms up, wide and free.
These hands that He’s made- to learn, to offer, to be held.
To be lifted up in praise,
and
surrender.
Was just thinking about these hands.
I held them high, offering them up.
These hands, they’ve been plucking and pecking, and trying to make beauty
Dancing over the keys, waltzing over the letters, and tripping over themselves.
12,073 and counting. Coming up short, yet learning long.
I prayed over these hands.
That He’d help them not to grow weary, or sore,
That these hands could keep tapping out this story...
The one about the girl who controls, and perfects, and struggles to trust.
As I write I begin to see just how wound up and tied up I am.
Ironic, that I am writing about letting go, releasing the grip, loosening the hold.
But I just keep holding on tighter- a grasping of the wind.
Like that crazy camp game, where you try and grab that greased up watermelon in the water- to no avail.
Crazy game, this grasp for control. It’s illusive.
This morning, as I prepared for the weekend writing conference,
I about lost it, coming face to face with a dream-reality.
Funny, how in the process of writing a book about giving up perfect,
I struggle to be PERFECT in the process.
And that’s the story, right there.
The story is the wrestle and struggle hard I do, and I am.
These hands long to be open- palms up, wide and free.
These hands that He’s made- to learn, to offer, to be held.
To be lifted up in praise,
and
surrender.
And this song? A remake of the classic Take My Life and Let It Be…our “Amen”.
“Take my hands, and let them move, at the impulse of Thy love.”
“Take my hands, and let them move, at the impulse of Thy love.”
Thank you for this. I feel every word in my heart just now for my own struggles. I feel a bit like that girl you mentioned. Thank you for pointing to the One who holds us, even when we try to hold ourselves together. –an FMF neighbor.
Thanks Karly- That girl is me. So glad He holds us both, aren’t you?! Thanks for stopping by.:)
Yes! We need to stop grasping for control, and open ourselves up to Him. Thank you for the beautiful reminder!
Thank you. I need to remind myself of this ALL the time!:)
Oh, surrender! It’s a tough one, isn’t it? I will have to come back and listen to that song at a better time, but I heard “Trust and Obey” today and this line has been playing over and over in my heart- “but we never can prove, the delights of His love, until all on the altar we lay”. Yeah. It’s in the releasing of our own control, that we can discover the delights of His love. I wish I wouldn’t keep forgetting that!
GREAT post! Thankful to be getting to know you. Just reading your bio- we have a LOT in common! All the very best! Keep being faithful. God is good at blessing hard work and faithfulness…
Hi Becky- My camp friends are loving your post.:) Yes, surrender- hard, but good, right?:) I keep forgetting too, a lot. Thank you for your encouragement. Happy Weekend.
“Just keep holding on tighter – a grasping of the wind” YES! I so feel you, control is a continued struggle, and how good surrender feels! Keep typing, and using your hands to write your story – HIS story in you.
Thank you Jamie. So wish we could hang in “real life” and chat it up about schooling and surrender.:) Thank you for your encouragement. Tomorrow- your post #psalmsseries… just reread it, beautiful poetry, can’t wait to share it.:)
I like this. Mostly because I, too, struggle to surrender my need to be in control, to know, to understand. But really, I like this because I expect perfection from myself in the middle of my story. I’m understanding more and more it’s OK to let go and to not expect so much, first from others and then from myself. His hands holding me in grace is sufficient. Blessings!
Hi Kaylene- Your words are freeing, “I’m understanding more and more it’s OK to let go and not expect so much, first from others then from myself.” So true of me too. Let’s let it go.:)
Oh I love this Katie! Praying for you, friend!
Thank you for the prayers and support friend! You are a blessing.:)
Beautiful! I can feel the push and pull of the perfectionism vs. letting go! Praying you are blessed this weekend at your writing conference!
Thank you Mary- it’s like a teeter totter, huh? That push and pull. So glad that God is our stabilizing center. Thank you for your prayers- the conference is going great.:)
Your words are beautiful and strong and words so many of us struggle with.